In the winter of 1910, the river that normally brings life to Paris quickly became a force of destruction. Torrential rainfall saturated the soil, and faulty engineering created conditions that soon drowned Parisian streets, homes, businesses, and museums. Given the Parisians' history of deep-seated social, religious, and political strife, it was questionable whether they could collaborate to confront the crisis. Yet while the sewers, Métro, and electricity failed around them, as Jeffrey Jackson recounts in this "engrossing narrative" (Library Journal), Parisians of all backgrounds rallied to save the city and one another.